Adjustable iron back-band and hook.



e. w. MOORES.

ADJUSTABLE IRON BACK BAND AND HOOK.

A-PPLIGATION FILED NOV.6,190B.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

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UNITED sTaTns PATENT oTTTcn.

GEORGE W. MOORES, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

ADJUSTABLE IRON BACK-BAND AND HOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Moonns, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State ofLouisiana, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Iron Back- Band andHook, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a back-bandfor harness which, while it is comprised, in part, of a pair of rigidmembers, preferably of sheetmetal, will not inconvenience the draftanimal and will yield to movement of the body of the animal.

As stated above, the back-band preferably consists of a pair ofsheet-metal members and in order to obtain the results mentioned above,I connect the two members at their upper ends by a flexible means whichpermits relative movement of the members in a. plurality of planes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide, in a backband, tracehooks which are so arranged as to prevent accidental disengagement ofthe traces therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aback-band constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is aview of the lower portion of the band showing also a protective coveringwhich may be applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of aslightly modified form of the invention.

As heretofore stated, and as shown in the drawings, my invention iscomprised in part of a pair of members which are indicated in general bythe numeral 5. The major portion of each member 5 is bowed substantiallyin the arc of a circle to fit the side of the draft animal and, at theirupper ends, the members are each bent to extend at an angle to theirmajor portion as indicated by the numeral 6 to fit to each side of thebackbone of the animal.

Each member 5 is formed at the upper end of its portion 6 with a slot 7which forms in effect a loop at the upper end of the said portion, andthrough each slot 7 is inserted one end of a strap 8, the ends of thestrap being stitched to the body thereof after being inserted throughthe slots as clearly shown at 9 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The slots 7are preferably of a width nearly equal to the width of their respectivememhers 5 and the strap 8 is also of such width,

Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed. November 6, 1908.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 461,379.

so that practically a continuous band is provided fromone end of theback band to the other.

From the description of the invention thus far given, it will beunderstood that I have provided a flexible connecting means for the twomembers of the back-band which is of soft material and will nottherefore injure the ridge of the back-bone of the animal. It willfurther be understood that this flexible connection is of such naturethat the members 5 may be moved laterally away from each other or towardeach other and in a di rection at right angles to the line of suchmovement, independently of each other so that the freedom of movement ofthe animal is not impaired.

At and adjacent its lower end, each of the members 5 is formed with oneor more trace hooks 10, these hooks being struck up directly from thematerial of their respective members and being bowed outwardly for theengagement of the trace therewith but having their extremities in aplane with the lower portions of their respective members 5. By sopositioning the hooks with respect to their body portions, engagement ofthe traces with the hooks'is in no way hindered but accidentaldisengagement of the traces from the hooks is effectually preventedinasmuch as the traces must pass over the extremities of the hooks andcannot do so unless'manually disengaged.

It is sometimes desirable to cover the members 5 of the back-band with acanvas sheath it being understood of course that other material may beused if found expedient.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings a buckle 11is interposed in the strap 8, the strap being formed of two lengthswhich are adjustably connected in this manner.

From an inspection of Fig. 1 of the draw ings, it will be observed thatthe edges of the vertical portions 6 of the back band members are cutaway as indicated by the numeral 6' and that owing to this construction,the members may have relative torsional movement without the said edgesbiting into the back of the animal.

Vhat is claimed is A back band comprising a pair of flat rigid members,each member being bent abruptly adjacent its upper end to afiordportions projecting substantially vertically and in parallelism andportions curved downwardly and outwardly from each other, and extendingat their lower ends substantially parallel, each of the members havingthe edges of its substantially vertical portion cut away, each memberbeing formed at its upper end with a loop, a flexible strap secured atits ends to the loops and connecting the two members, whereby to admitof move ment thereof, one with respect to the other, each of the membersadjacent its lower end being stamped to afford upwardly directed tracehooks, and a covering sheet fitted upon each member and entirelycovering the surface of the same, said sheet being provided with slitsthrough which the trace hooks project.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE MOORES.

Witnesses A. S. Hews, Anonnw Hews.

